Zainab Alema scores to smash more stereotypes

By Saope Soko

Zainab Alema became not only the first PWR player to play with a hijab earlier this month, the trailblazer marked her topflight bow with a try.

Alema scored in the first half during Leicester’s 57-29 defeat at champions Gloucester-Hartpury and looks to be a mainstay in Tom Hudson’s side this season. 

This new chapter is just the beginning for the 31-year-old loosehead prop after quitting her job as a neonatal nurse in 2021 to pursue her passion for rugby. Her aim – to smash stereotypes.

She told The Rugby Paper: “I know this is just the start. There’s a lot of work ahead, but I’m ready to put in the effort and do everything I can to help the team succeed.”

The British-Ghanaian Muslin woman continues to push boundaries and make strides in a sport where women, especially of colour, are often underrepresented. 

Breaking Barriers

Her love for the game and resilience have made her a role model for young women and minority players, earning her widespread recognition. In 2020, she was awarded the Sunday Times Grassroots Sportswoman of the Year for her outstanding contributions and for advocating diversity in sport. 

Alema is the founder of the initiative ‘Studs in the Mud’, a project aimed at providing rugby boots and support to women and girls playing rugby in less privileged areas around the world, particularly in Africa. 

Through her activism, Alema is working to challenge perceptions and ensure that the sport becomes more accessible to people from all walks of life.

Alema was first introduced into rugby when she was 14-years-old and since then she has gone on to play for various clubs, including Barnes and most recently Richmond in London. 

Choosing between rugby and tennis, there was a clear favourite on which sport to further progress. 

As a black Muslim woman who plays rugby while wearing a hijab, this is something that is not commonly seen in the sport but it is the right development as more barriers are continuously broken down. 

Alema’s fondest memory of rugby was her experience during university, where she became more knowledgeable of the technical side of the game and went on to win the BUCS League in the 2012-13 season. 

Role Model

Maggie Alphonsi, a 74-time former England international, become a role model for Alema, when she faced a difficult period in her career. 

Alema thought about giving up the game because of the negative interactions she was met with but after watching Alphonsi represent England, she thought: “I can see myself in that woman, if Maggie can play rugby and rugby supports me, what’s stopping me? Why can’t I do the same?”. 

This spurred Alema on as she investigated the laws of rugby to see if they supported and allowed her to compete whilst wearing a hijab. 

And fortunately for her, rugby allows athletes of different backgrounds to compete.

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